Project Tanzania 2007

  DIY solar in Tanzania - Feb2, 2007  From www.solar-aid.org

John Keane and Courtney Paisley are in Tanzania carrying out DIY solar training with Neema, an organisation for deaf and disabled Tanzanians. Neema offers support, training and employment to deaf and disabled people in the Iringa region of Tanzania. It was established by Anglican missionaries and runs a handicrafts workshop and cafe.

John and Courtney are teaching members of Neema to assemble and repair small solar panels to power small electrical appliances and recharge batteries. The panels will be sold at low cost in the local market. The project will provide participants with the opportunity to generate income while providing the community an alternative, renewable and environmentally friendly source of electricity.

A key focus of the project will be to offer an alternative means of power for radios, which are an important source of information, education and entertainment within Tanzania. However, the use of radios is restricted because people rely on disposable batteries that last only for a limited time, are expensive to replace and pollute the environment.

John said: ‘A close look at the ground in any rural village reveals pollution in the form of dead, disposable batteries left to rot, releasing acids and other toxic chemicals as they decompose, posing a danger to the environment and to the health of young children. Encouraging the use of low cost solar panels for powering small appliances and charging rechargeable batteries will dramatically reduce this problem and enable listeners to use their radios more frequently without the economic burden of repeatedly purchasing new batteries.’

Solar panels can also be used to recharge mobile phones, demand for which is rapidly increasing due to the expansion of the mobile phone network in rural areas not served by the electrical grid.

Tanzania was identified as a location that could benefit from a DIY solar project for the following reasons:

The high levels of radio ownership within the country and the radio’s important status as an information communication technology.

Limited access to grid electricity within rural areas and a high reliance on disposable batteries.

Recent environmental problems that have resulted in flooding, destroying existing infrastructure and further removing rural areas from power sources.

The high levels of poverty and unemployment within the country.

The project will also include a local school initiative. Teachers in Kilolo Primary and Secondary School will be invited to attend a DIY solar training that will provide them with a basic understanding of solar power and the skills and materials necessary to develop lesson plans for and teach local pupils.

Neema Crafts Solar Project 

Progress Report from John Keane - March 2007

Introduction

With three of the five students having been on the Neema Crafts waiting list for over a year, all five students began work on February 1st, 2007. As the students do not own mobile phones, staff were dispatched to their houses throughout the Iringa area to alert them of their start dates. All five of the students arrived in the new Solar Workshop on the first day, where they were greeted by their volunteer teachers: John Keane and Courtney Paisley. A brief background on each participant is provided at the end of this report.

The Trainers

John Keane has experience conducting solar trainings in numerous countries in Africa, including Kenya, Malawi, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ghana. He has worked with various youth groups.

Courtney Paisley has international project management experience, working on training and education projects for the World Agroforestry Centre in Kenya until June 2006. Courtney began her involvement with solar trainings in Kenya.

Solar Workshop

The group was quiet and nervous at first, unsure of what to expect. The trainers began with some ‘icebreakers’, allowing everyone to act silly and raise the comfort level in the room. The concepts of understanding and working with electricity can often be daunting, even more so for those without formal education. The trainers, understanding this, made sure that the students were not bombarded with technical information in the first week and that technical concepts could always be related to everyday, familiar concepts.

Base Knowledge

Prior to beginning the trainings and skill transfer, the group were asked to provide explanations of what they understood solar power to be, its uses and what sort of things it can be used to power. This important exercise enables the trainers to assess what level of knowledge and/ or misconceptions exists within the group.

Skill Transfer

In view of the fact that knowledge of solar was fairly limited, we began at the very beginning and made an effort to break explanations (for example of electricity) down to practical examples, which are often easier to understand than hours of theory.

Even so, the students did comment that they felt overwhelmed by the amount of solar knowledge that they were required to learn. Lessons were thus given first thing in the morning and directly after lunch, while the rest of the time was designated for the practical application of lessons learned.

The hands on learning process means that the group begin the production of

solar panels almost immediately i.e. ‘leaning by doing’ until such a point that the trainer’s presence is no longer required.

Sales and Marketing

Following the transfer of basic Solar panel assembly skills, the group were asked to conduct ‘Role Plays’ whereby members were asked to try and sell a panel to other members of the group. This exercise allows the group to get used to the practice of selling and enabled the trainers to look for ‘holes’ in their knowledge. Role Plays are also a lot of fun!

Organisation

As the trainings progressed and the group became familiar with the tools and materials needed to assemble panels, they were asked to organize the workshop space. The importance of a tidy and well-organized workshop has been repeated on a daily basis and is an area in continual need of attention!

The group elected two members who would be responsible for stocktaking and informing Neema* when new stocks would be needed. A manager within Neema has been given the responsibility of overseeing the solar project and its ongoing operations.

In the first few weeks the group have covered

Electricity basics (Volts, Amps, Circuits, Batteries, Recharging Times etc.)

Practical Solar Panel Assembly

Solar Panel Capabilities (Power/charge radios, cassettes, mobile phones, batteries)

Stock taking

Sales and Marketing

Component Availability

The Solar Glass that is central to the project was imported from the UK, which was a relatively smooth process (far smoother than imports carried out in the past to other countries in Africa!)

Additional materials needed for panel assembly should, ideally, be available in country to ensure a sustainable business. The trainers have brought out materials in the first instance to ensure a smooth training session, however these are beginning to run out and the search has begun for locally available materials. The group have sourced certain materials, such as wire, wood, varnish, rubber etc. within Iringa. The search for other components is on going – diodes at this stage, for example, have been bought in Dar es Salaam.

The group are not (at this stage) making their own frames for the solar panels. This may be viable at a later date, depending on the success of the project. The group have, however, been involved in the design of the frames, as well as the tedious and frustrating search for the best locally available and affordable carpenter. Three carpenters have been commissioned to provide examples of their work, two of whom have produced high quality frames.

Discussions of final price of the frames and guarantee of supply are on going. The use of external carpenters has proved to be a delaying factor in the production process to date.

Production and Sales

The group will be producing three sizes of solar panel (0.5 watt, 1 watt and 2 watt)

To date, the group has assembled 40 one-watt panels, 35 of which are awaiting final framing. The group has also assembled 15 half-watt panels and produced their first two-watt panel this week.

The price determination of each panel has been a tricky process with the desire to provide an affordable energy alternative for rural Tanzanians without losing money on the enterprise. The small 0.5 watt panels, for example, will be sold in the villages for about £2.75 and in the Neema Crafts shop (with primarily tourist and foreign volunteer clientele) for £3.75 – still a very good price!

The first solar panels are expected to be on sale in the shop and elsewhere next week.

Monitoring

The trainers will leave the group next week for a short period to allow them to begin production and sales in their absence. Both trainers have been keen not to foster any form of reliance on their presence. The trainers will then return in order to evaluate the group’s progress (production and sales etc), obtain general feedback and identify any problems; providing their input where necessary.

Workshop Participants

Matatizo Haule

Age: 23

Education: Secondary School

Work Experience: Shoe shine

Johari Mdota

Age: 29

Children: 3

Education: 7th year, Primary School

Work Experience: None

Helena Hongoli

Age: 26

Education: 7th year, Primary School

Work Experience: Business

Kasimu Kasilo

Age: 21

Education: 7th year, Primary School

Work experience: Pottery

Stephen Mwakipesile

Age: 37

Children: 2

Education: 7th year, Primary School

Work experience: beadwork

Websites

Here are some of the NGO websites of organisations using the DIY Solar technique:

 

Senegal - WAAME http://www.waame.sn/ (in french)

 

Ghana - CASOLS - www.graphicghana.info/article.asp%3Fartid%3D14797+ghana+CASOLS&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=5

 

Benin - http://www.gawa.nu/stories/story_solar.htm

http://ntong-benin.ifrance.com/ (in french)

 

Haiti - http://www.vssnet.org/index.html

 

Malawi - http://solar-aid.org/ for John Keane videos, click on 'Solar videos'

 

Kenya - www.kcyp.net

 

SPECIAL PROJECTS

We also provide information about DIY solar cookers and indoor mosquito control.

 

If you hope to start a DIY Solar project in a country not listed, we can probably send you a list of contacts in the country!